First Time "Visitors"

Last week Sam had some training in Houston so the kids and I decided to go to College Station for the week. We had a great time while we stayed at my mom's house, and I don't even think that we drove her too crazy! However, it was hard juggling doctor's appointments and trying to make time to see friends. There are several things we didn't get to do while we were there, and a couple of people we weren't able to get together with due to scheduling conflicts. However, it was a great week and we look forward to going back.

Carter loves playing in the water. He would beg us to "turn on the water" almost every day.
One of the dogs deflated his soccer ball so he decided to make it into his new hat.
Ally likes to eat...as you can tell from the pictures! She has also discovered how to get all of the food onto the floor by "cleaning" her tray!
It doesn't appear that Ally is enjoying herself in this picture, but I promise she did like the pool. This is the only picture I could find to post where her swimming suit wasn't falling off her shoulders!
Carter absolutely LOVED going to the pool. I just wish that I could sign him up for swimming lessons. I am sure there is a pool somewhere around us, but I haven't found it yet. I am also hesitant about taking both kids swimming without another set of hands.

One of Carter and Ally's favorite things to do is ride in the wagon at GaGa's house. I had to take this picture quickly because after about 20 feet of pulling Ally, Carter decided it was too hard.
Carter looking for Fletcher, the cat my mom somehow managed to adopt from my brother. Carter thought it was fun to carry him and tackle him, and believe it or not, Fletcher let him do it!
Ally riding in the wagon. We went for her 9 month check-up while we were in town and the stats speak for themselves: 20.7 lbs (75th percentile), 30 inches (95th percentile). If she keeps at this rate of growth, she is going to surpass Carter by the time she is one!
Another picture of Carter (and Shiner) searching for Fletcher. I would let Carter bring him home if we didn't already have two fat, and lazy, cats of our own.
GaGa got the kids a little swimming pool for her yard, which they played in a lot since it was just too hot to do anything else. She also invested in a small *"playground" for them to play on when they come to visit. Ally loved swinging in the bucket swing, and Carter loved everything else! It didn't take him long to learn how to scale the rock wall and ladder. I think that my hair turned a little grayer every time he climbed up! I don't know what I am going to do when he actually becomes a teenager!

*Carter calls the swing set his playground!